ne,

looking back, saw that the murderer had drawn bread and cheese

from his scrip, and was silently munching it, with the protecting

cross still hugged to his breast, while the other, black and

grim, stood in the sunlit road and threw his dark shadow athwart

him.

chapter xv.

how the yellow cog sailed forth from lepe.

that night the company slept at st. leonard's, in the great

monastic barns and spicarium--ground well known both to alleyne

and to john, for they were almost within sight of the abbey of

beaulieu. a strange thrill it gave to the young squire to see

the well-remembered white dress once more, and to hear the

measured tolling of the deep vespers bell, at early dawn they

passed across the broad, sluggish, reed-girt stream--men, horses,

and baggage in the flat ferry barges--and so journeyed on through

the fresh morning air past exbury to lepe. topping the heathy

down, they came of a sudden full in sight of the old sea-port--a

cluster of houses, a trail of blue smoke, and a bristle of

masts. to right and left the long blue curve of the solent

lapped in a fringe of foam upon the yellow beach. some way out

from the town a line of pessoners, creyers, and other small craft

were rolling lazily on the gentle swell. further out still lay a

great merchant-ship, high ended, deep waisted, painted of a

canary yellow, and towering above the fishing-boats like a swan

among ducklings.

"by st. paul!" said the knight, "our good merchant of southampton

hath not played us false, for methinks i can see our ship down

yonder. he said that she would be of great size and of a yellow

shade."

"by my hilt, yes!" muttered aylward; "she is yellow as a kite's

claw, and would carry as many men as there are pips in a

pomegranate."

"it is as well," remarked terlake; "for methinks, my fair lord,

that we are not the only ones who are waiting a passage to

gascony. mine eye catches at times a flash and sparkle among

yonder houses which assuredly never came from shipman's jacket or

the gaberdine of a burgher."

"i can also see it," said alleyne, shading his eyes with his

hand. "and i can see men-at-arms in yonder boats which ply

betwixt the vessel and the shore. but methinks that we are very

welcome here, for already they come forth to meet us."

a tumultuous crowd of fishermen, citizens, and women had indeed

swarmed out from the northern gate, and approached them up the

side of the moor, waving their hands and dancing with joy, as

though a great fear had been rolled back from their minds. at

their head rode a very large and solemn man with a long chin and

a drooping lip. he wore a fur tippet round his neck and a heavy

gold chain over it, with a medallion which dangled in front of

him.

"welcome, most puissant and noble lord," he cried, doffing his

bonnet to black simon. "i have heard of your lordship's valiant

deeds, and in sooth they might be expected from your lordship's

face and bearing. is there any small matter in which i may

oblige you?"

"since you ask me," said the man-at-arms, "i would take it kindly

if you could spare a link or two of the chain which hangs round

your neck."

"what, the corporation chain!" cried the other in horror. "the

ancient chain of the township of lepe! this is but a sorry jest,

sir nigel."

"what the plague did you ask me for then?" said simon. "but if

it is sir nigel loring with whom you would speak, that is he upon

the black horse."

the mayor of lepe gazed with amazement on the mild face and

slender frame of the famous warrior.

"your pardon, my gracious lord," he cried. "you see in me the

mayor and chief magistrate of the ancient and powerful town of

lepe. i bid you very heartily welcome, and the more so as you

are come at a moment when we are sore put to it for means of

defence.'

"ha!" cried sir nigel, pricking up his ears.

"yes, my lord, for the town being very ancient and the walls as

old as the town, it follows that they are very ancient too. but

there is a certain villainous and bloodthirsty norman pirate

hight tete-noire, who, with a genoan called tito caracci,

commonly known as spade-beard, hath been a mighty scourge upon

these coasts. indeed, my lord, they are very cruel and black-

hearted men, graceless and ruthless, and if they should come to

the ancient and powerful town of lepe then--"

"then good-bye to the ancient and powerful town of lepe," quoth

ford, whose lightness of tongue could at times rise above his awe

of sir nigel.

the knight, however, was too much intent upon the matter in hand

to give heed to the flippancy of his squire. "have you then

cause," he asked, "to think that these men are about to venture

an attempt upon you?"

"they have come in two great galleys," answered the mayor, "with

two bank of oars on either side, and great